How To Add a Custom Modpack to Your Minecraft Server

We support hundreds of modpacks with our one-click modpack installer. However, occasionally, you will run into a modpack that we don't support via the modpack installer. If that is the case for the modpack you want to install, that's where this guide comes in.

We are going to cover everything you need to know about installing an unsupported modpack on your Minecraft server.

⚠️ Generally, there is a reason that a modpack isn't supported by the installer. There is no guarantee that the modpack you want to install will work on your server. We do encourage you to try a supported modpack before installing a custom modpack that isn't in the installer.

Step 1: Install The Mod Loader on Your Server

The first step of getting a custom modpack on your server is setting up the correct version of Forge or Fabric on your server. This is the mod loader that actually allows the mods to work on a server.

Find the Forge/Fabric Version

We are going to be using CurseForge for this guide. It will work with other non-CurseForge modpacks, but some changes may be needed. We are also assuming that the modpack is already installed in the CurseForge App. This is required to join the server later on.

Open CurseForge
Navigate to the "My Modpacks" tab.
Right-Click the modpack you want to play (Install the modpack if you haven't already.)
Click the "View Profile" option that appears when you right-click.
You will now see a game version and mod loader type. Make note of these as you will need them later.

Install Forge/Fabric on Your Server

Now that you know if your modpack is running Forge or Fabric and the Minecraft version the modpack is using, we need to install the correct version of the mod loader you are using on your server.

🔗 We have dedicated guides on getting Forge and Fabric on your server if you want something more in-depth. We also recommend backing up your server before adding a custom modpack.

Navigate to your server on the game control panel, and select your server.
Select the "Versions" tab in the menu bar.
In the drop-down, select "Forge" or "Fabric" depending on the mod loader that was shown on the modpack in CurseForge.
Locate the game version that the modpack uses and click on "Install" on the Forge/Fabric version that the modpack uses.
Click the "Install" button again on the confirmation pop-up that appears.
The Forge/Fabric version will then be installed on the server.
Finally, navigate back to the "Console" tab and restart your server by clicking the "Restart" button.

Step 2: Uploading The Mods to Your Server

Now that you have the mod loader setup on your server, we can move on to adding the mods and mod config files to your server. For this, we will be using SFTP, but first, we need to locate the files on your computer that we will be adding to the server.

Accessing The Mods & Config Folders on Your Computer

First things first, we need to access the mods and config files on your computer.

Navigate to the "My Modpacks" tab in the CurseForge App.
Right-click on the modpack you want to add your server.
Click the "Open Folder" button to open the folder that houses all of the files for the modpack.
In this folder, you will find various files and folder. Every modpack is different, and you most likely won't have all the folders and files we mention here. Generally, though, we recommend moving the "config", "defaultconfigs", and "mods" folders to the server in the next step.

Setting Up SFTP to Upload the Files

Now that you have located the files and folders you need to move to the server, leave the folder open. We now need to access your server using SFTP in order to easily upload all of these files and folders.

📰 Check out our dedicated SFTP guide if you have any questions or issues.

Step 1: Getting An FTP Client

You will need download an FTP Client. For this, we recommend getting FileZilla. It is completely free and very commonly used to connect to servers via SFTP.

Step 2: Finding Your SFTP Login Info

Once you have your FTP client, we can get the login details. These can be found in the SimpleGameHosting control panel.

In the control panel, click "SFTP" in the menu bar.

This will show you your connection address and username for SFTP. We will use these in the next step.

Step 3: Logging Into Your Server via SFTP

With your SFTP login information in hand, we can now open our FTP client. For this guide, we will be using FileZilla, but the process is the same in other FTP clients as well.

In FileZilla, click the "Site Manager" in the top left.

Click the "New Site" button. Name the server anything you want, and then, we need to move to the panel on the right side.

Here, you will enter in all of the information needed to connect your server with the FTP client.

Protocol: Change this to “SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol.”
Host: This is the server address you found on the control panel.
Port: The port can be left blank.
Logon Type: Set this to normal.
Username: This is the Username found in the SFTP details section of the control panel.
Password: The SFTP password is the same password used to log in to the SimpleGameHosting Control Panel.

Once all the above information has been entered, click “Connect.” You will most likely be promoted to trust the connection. When you do this, you will log in into the server via SFTP.

Uploading The Mods & Config Files to The Server

Finally, we can upload the folders we mentioned earlier to the server. Just drag-and-drop the folders from the folder we opened previously into the server.

🛑 NOTE!: Your mods MUST be in the "mods" folder on your server. If you are just dragging the mods to the file manager MAKE SURE THE MODS ARE BEING ADDED TO THE "mods" FOLDER. The mods will not work if they are not in the mods folder on your server.

When you do this, the files will start uploading. This could be hundreds or thousands of files, so it may take a while depending on your internet connection.

Once all of the files and folders are finished uploading, restart your server by navigating back to the control panel and clicking the "Restart" button on the console page.

Step 3: Joining Your Server

Now that you have the mods and config files uploaded, you will need to restart your server if you haven't already. After that, launch the modpack you installed on the server via CurseForge.

👋 You and anyone who joins you server must play the modpack via the modpack launcher in order to join the server.

Once Minecraft is open with the modpack installed, click on "Multiplayer". Then, add the server. The server address can be found in the top right of the "Console" tab of the control panel. Click this to copy it and paste it in the "Address" bar in Minecraft.

After the server is added, double-click the server to join it. If you have any issues, you can find resolutions to potential issues below!

Resolving Potential Issues

It is very common to run into issues when adding a custom modpack to your server. Here, we will go over potential issues and how to fix them on your server. It is possible that the modpack you are trying to install doesn't support servers at all. In those cases, another modpack will need to be used.

Server Isn't Start

If after the files are added to the server, you can't get the server to start, there are a few potential reasons it may not be starting.

Your Server Doesn't Have Enough RAM

Most modpacks require at least 6GB of RAM to run properly without issues. Because of this, a lack of RAM may be causing the issues with your server. We have a complete guide on adding more RAM to server if you want to upgrade.

There Is A Mod That Isn't Server Compatible

Another common reason that a custom modpack server may not start is that there is an issue with a mod. This could be that a mod isn't compatible with servers or there is a mod for the wrong version/mod loader than what the server is on.

The best way to check these issues is to read the crash reports. This can be found in the "File Manager" tab in the control panel. There, you will have a "crash-reports" folder. Opening this will show you any crash reports that are currently available for your server.

These can be difficult to read, but looking for specific mods in the "Stacktrace" section.

At this point, it is trial and error removing, fixing, or adding mods as needed to get issues resolved.

The Mod Loader Version is Incorrect

Another reason the server isn't starting could be due the mod loader version installed earlier is for the wrong Minecraft version. If this is the case, you will need to reinstall Forge/Fabric.

Keep in mind though that if you have the wrong Forge version installed for the mods, you will need to re-add the mods after installing the correct version.

You Cannot Join The server

The most common reason that you cannot join a modded server is that all of the mods aren't installed locally. Mods must be locally and on the server. Typically this is done by downloading the modpack via CurseForge and launching the modpack through that and joining the server.

It could also be that a mod isn't compatible with servers and is preventing connection. Generally, this is a trial-and-error process of removing individual mods from the server until you find the mod that is causing issues.

The Server Is Randomly Crashing

Random crashes are typically due to running out of RAM. Most modpacks require at least 6GB of RAM to run properly without issues. Because of this, a lack of RAM may be causing the issues with your server. We have a complete guide on adding more RAM to server if you want to upgrade.

There is an "Out of Memory" Error on Startup

If this generates a crash report, it is due to a mod not working on the server. You can access crash reports in the "File Manager" tab in the control panel. There, you will have a "crash-reports" folder. Opening this will show you any crash reports that are currently available for your server.

If no crash report generates, the issue due to running out of RAM on your server. Here is a a complete guide on adding more RAM to server if you want to upgrade.